Detention
by cpc439
Summary: Missing scenes from Episode 1.05 "Suspicion". Since Beckett appears to be a pretty good doctor, there’s no way he’d let Major Sheppard off that easy from the stunner blast. [Complete]
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Missing scenes from Episode 1.05 "Suspicion". Since Beckett appears to be a pretty good doctor, there's no way he'd let Major Sheppard off that easy from the stunner blast.

Spoilers: Through "Suspicion"

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them for a bit, and beating one of them up. And this will never, ever get me money. No copyright infringement intended.

**Detention**

The Stargate opened and they quickly dragged Major Sheppard through. The medical team had been given advance notice and was awaiting his arrival. They quickly sprang into action, transferring him from the floor to the stretcher in mere seconds.

Barely taking time to make sure their patient was securely fastened, they raced down the hall to the infirmary where Dr. Carson Beckett was preparing for his latest patient. Having only been told that the major had been hit by a wraith stunner, and no other details, he expected the worst and hoped for better.

The team announced their arrival in the infirmary with quite a racket. Technicians were already trying to remove the heavy jacket worn during missions so that they could begin their examination.

"OK, what do we have?" called Dr. Beckett excitedly.

"Major Sheppard was hit by a wraith stunner, exact point of impact is unknown. He has been unconscious for approximately 4 minutes. Pulse is strong, but somewhat erratic. Pupils are fixed and dilated. No response to painful stimuli. BP is 90 over 60; resps 15," was the quick rundown.

The stretcher was pulled up to the nearest exam table.

"On my count, 1...2...3!" All hands lifted the major's limp body off the surface of the stretcher and moved it to the table. The stretcher was quickly removed as the team started looking over their patient.

Dr. Beckett shook him and repeatedly called his name. "Major Sheppard! Major Sheppard, can you hear me?" There was no response.

Dr. Beckett took out his penlight and pulled back Sheppard's eyelids. He quickly flicked the light into each eye. Although not responsive earlier, each pupil contracted when exposed to the light. This was a good sign.

Putting the stesthoscope in his ears, the doctor began to listen to the major's heart. It was not long ago that he was actually shocking this very heart back to life after Sheppard's encounter with a monster tick, an early "cousin" of the Wraith. He hoped against hope that there was no further damage to the highest ranking military member of the Atlantis team.

Sheppard's rhythm was still erratic, but not wildly off base. "Get him wired to a heart monitor now!" he yelled. "Start a saline drip, get a full O2 mask on him, and get a full bloodwork panel!"

The medical team quickly responded to the requests. Leads were attached to the major's chest and soon his cardiac rhythm was visible on the monitor. The pattern clearly indicated that the possibility of damage was real.

Sherry, Dr. Beckett's lead nurse approached the table with an IV kit. Using an alcohol pad, she took Sheppards right arm and inserted the IV line. "Saline started!"

On his left side, a technician used a syringe to extract multiple vials of blood. "Labs!" he called when done.

As the team worked feverishly to stabilize Sheppard, he began to groan. His eyes were still closed, but very weakly he muttered, "Ssstop. G'way."

Dr. Beckett turned quickly and stared at his patient. "Major Sheppard, can you hear me? If you can hear me grab my hand." His answer was additional moaning and a feeble attempt by Sheppard to wave away the doctor's arm. The major's movements were slow and clumsy, as if he did not have full control of his muscles.

"Major Sheppard, you were hit by a wraith stunner. You're back at Atlantis. We are trying to determine your condition. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Dr. Beckett asked.

Slowly, the major's eyelids fluttered open. He did not seem to be able to focus clearly and they quickly closed again. He muttered something that was not audible under the oxygen mask. Sensing this, he moved his hand to his face to remove the mask, but was stopped by Dr. Beckett.

"Sorry, Major. That stays on for now." The doctor leaned down so that his ear was almost touching the mask. "What did you say?"

As Dr. Beckett recogonized the expletive Sheppard had just uttered, he smiled. "Well, I guess you're still with us, then?"

Major Sheppard's eyelids opened again, and remained open this time. He focused on Dr. Beckett and whispered, "Doc, we gotta stop meeting like this. People will talk."

Dr. Beckett broke into a wide grin. "That's a good sign, Major. I think you're starting to come out of it." He turned to his right to inspect the monitor for signs of improvement and was not disappointed. The major's heartbeat had resumed a nice, steady cadence.

"BP is up to 110 over 70," Sherry informed Dr. Beckett. "Pulse is 75 and strong." 

"Great news, Major. I think you're going to make it." Dr. Beckett gave one of his full blown grins. Sheppard just sighed.

Once again Sheppard reached for the mask over his nose and mouth. This time his arm moved fluidly from his side and he pushed the mask off his face. Beckett did not stop him.

"What happened to Ford and Teyla? Did they get back?" he asked as Beckett once again took out the penlight and checked his patient's pupils. Another groan escaped from Sheppard as he quickly squeezed his eyelids shut.

"Not to my knowledge. Doctor Weir has called a meeting with the remaining team members for a debriefing session so that she can determine what the next action will be," he informed Sheppard.

At this news, Sheppard sat straight up, although he quickly regretted it. He began to sway and was steadied by two of the technicians. "What? How long have they been missing? I have to go get them!" He began to swing his legs over the edge of the table. "Where's my shirt? I have to get out of here! Get these things off me!" he cried as he started pulling the heart monitor leads off his chest.

The alarm on the monitor began squealing loudly as the wires came off. "Turn that off!" yelled Beckett to the nearest assistant. "Major, I realize you're concerned for Lt. Ford and Teyla, but right now you need to be concerned about yourself. You've taken yet another blow to your system and you're barely back on your feet from the last one. If you don't take it easy you're not going to be here to help anyone. Please, lad, lay back down and rest," Beckett pleaded.

But, Sheppard would not listen. "No. I'm out of here. I'm fine; I missed most of the blast. It's more important for me to be in that debrief right now. How long have I been here?" he asked.

"About 15 minutes," Beckett answered.

"Well, that's about 14 minutes too long. I'm sorry, Doc, but you can't stop me so please don't even try." As he said this he moved his feet down to the floor and stood. Shaky at first, but he quickly regained his balance. "So you can take this IV out for me or I'll do it and get blood all over your nice clean floor. Which one will it be?" he asked as he grabbed the plastic tube that ran into his right arm.

"OK, Major. You win. You'll go to the debrief. On one condition – after the meeting you report back to me and you stay on a monitor tonight. No fussing, no complaining. I simply cannot allow you to jeopardize your health to the degree that Atlantis will suffer." Beckett stared at him with steely eyes.

"Agreed. Get this out. Now." Sheppard replied.

Dr. Beckett took a gauze pad and held it at the puncture site for the IV. He quickly removed the tube and applied pressure. Sheppard pulled his arm away and said, "Forget it, Doc. I don't have time. Where's my shirt?"

His shirt was quickly handed to him. As he pulled it on over his head he muffled the groan that started in his toes and travelled all the way to his head. There was no way he could let Beckett see how sore he was. "It'll pass," he rationalized to himself.

"Doc, thanks for working on me. I'll be fine." He called as he turned to walk out the door.

Beckett replied thoughtfully, "I really hope so, Major. There are a lot of people that are counting on you."

Sheppard didn't look back. He knew the doctor was right, but at this moment there were two people in particular who were counting on him. They hadn't let him down and he wasn't about to let them down.

He made it to the debriefing just in time to answer Bates' question about whose idea it was for Teyla to separate from the group. Gathering all the strength he possessed, he put on his best game face and entered the room.

TBC.....


	2. Chapter 2

**Detention – Chapter 2**

Sheppard felt bad that he had made a promise to Dr. Beckett to return to the infirmary because he had no intention of keeping it. There were just too many things that required his attention and participation. Not that he didn't care about his health, but it certainly wasn't at the top of his list.

Fortunately, Teyla and Ford were able to return to the Atlantis base themselves, although Ford had been injured. "What the hell is going on with my team?" he thought. He shook his head and sighed as he realized that the majority of his team had been in the infirmary within the last 24 hours.

Now he had even bigger problems to worry about. After setting their trap, they were able to capture a live wraith prisoner who was now sitting in the Ancient's version of a jail cell. "Let's just hope their shield is as strong as it looks," he prayed.

While he had been interrogating the wraith, it took all of his concentration to maintain a confident attitude on the outside when his insides felt like jelly, but he refused to let his fear show through. Or at least he hoped it hadn't.

The words the Wraith said to him turned over in his mind. "You will be the first I feed upon....." Not a pleasant thought by any means.

As Sheppard made his way back to his quarters he could feel the cumulative effect of his day wearing on him. It felt like every muscle in his body was strained. As he turned the last corner before reaching his room, he ran into Dr. Beckett. Literally.

"Doc! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed.

"Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing, Major." Dr. Beckett did not look happy. It appeared that the normally friendly, Scottish doctor was quite annoyed. The stance of his body and the tone of his voice clearly indicated that he was going to be the victor in whatever took place next. To drive that point home, Doctor Weir appeared at that moment directly behind Dr. Beckett.

"Forgetting something, Major?" she asked sweetly as her right eyebrow went up.

Sheppard had to think quickly, but that was proving more and more difficult. "Uh, yeah. You're right, I live that way," he said as he tried to turn around and leave as fast as possible.

"Hold it right there!" Weir yelled. "You're not going anywhere but the infirmary. Now." She didn't even have to yell. Sheppard felt like he was back in grade school and being grounded for something.

He started to put on his most charming smile and ask what she was talking about when two of the largest Marines he'd ever seen appeared at his elbow. He wasn't even sure how they were able to fit through the Stargate. Obviously, he wasn't going to win this one, no matter how much charm he turned on.

"Oh, I just remembered. I was on my way to see Dr. Beckett. We made a deal earlier today. What did you think I was going to do, Doc, skip out on you?" he asked as sweetly as possible.

"Oh no, Major. I knew you'd never break a promise to me. As you know, I do all the clearances for gate travel and I know you'd never jeopardize your access. So of course I knew you'd see things my way," he said with a very self-satisifed smile.

Sheppard grinned. "That's right, Doc. I'd never break a promise to you. Um, shall we?" he asked as he pointed up the hallway.

"I think we'll have Lts. Baker and Porter just follow us to make sure nothing happens on our way to the infirmary. After you, Major," Beckett gestured.

Sheppard smiled once again. "I just love spending time with you, Doc."

* * *

When they reached the infirmary, Sheppard was greeted by Sherry, the nurse who had treated him earlier. They sized each other up, each one trying to decide who could take whom. They simultaneously reached the same conclusion that Sherry would win. She was almost as tall as the major and probably had a good twenty pounds on him. He sighed inwardly. It was going to be a long night. 

"Why Major Sheppard, you are certainly looking better than the last time I saw you." She smiled an evil grin. "Hopefully, this time you'll be able to grace us with your presence until we can be sure you're okay."

Once again came the charming smile. "Oh, I'm better than okay," he replied with a wink.

"Good to know. Dr. Beckett has asked me to remain with you at all times to make sure that you don't leave us prematurely. So to speak." She turned around and started walking back toward a screened off area. "Follow me, Major. Let's get you ready for bed."

Sheppard turned around to find Beckett and Weir trying not to laugh. He smirked at them. "Very funny. I have to have a guard?"

"Well, Major, I think you're in good hands. I'll stop by to see you in the morning," Weir said as she left the room still trying to hold back a laugh and not really succeeding.

"Don't worry, Major. You're actually going to have some company tonight. You're not the only one I worry about," Dr. Beckett said quizically. "I'll be back in a moment to see how you're doing. Right now I think it would be best if you hurried to get to Sherry before she makes your stay even more uncomfortable." At that, he turned and left muttering under his breath about rounding up "the next one".

"Major! Now!" Sherry yelled from the back of the infirmary. Another sigh escaped Sheppard as he resignedly began his journey to hell.

He joined Sherry behind the curtain and was very dismayed to see what his evening held in store. She stood there holding a yellow hospital gown, surrounded by a heart monitor, wires, and tray of very nasty looking medical supplies.

Ever the smooth artist, he tried to win her over with his "little boy" face. "I don't think we need all this, how 'bout I just sit on the bed and read?" he pleaded.

After being a nurse in the military, Sherry had pretty much seen everything. And if that wasn't enough she had dealt with her ex-husband enough to be able to anticipate any moves from a man who didn't want to do as he was told. She simply held out her hand and said, "Give me your clothes and let's get you into bed."

Not willing to give up, Sheppard looked at her and said, "I thought you'd never ask." But, this clearly didn't work either as she simply stared at him, continuing to hold her hand out.

It had been a very long day and he just wasn't willing to fight anymore. With yet another sigh, he began to unzip his jacket. He put it on the bed and began to remove his shirt. As he started to pull it over his head he shot a look at Sherry to indicate that she could go now.

"Sorry, Major. You're too much of a flight risk. Don't worry you don't have anything I haven't seen before. Literally."

"Gee, thanks for the compliment," he muttered. "Can you pass me the gown now so I can save some of my dignity?"

"Well, I'm not sure you had any to start with, but here you go." She passed him the gown and he put his arms through and tied it at his neck. Trying to muster a confident smile he undid his belt, unzipped his pants and let them drop to the floor.

"Happy now?" he asked bitingly.

"Just be glad I'm going to be kind and let you keep your skivvies. Come on, into bed". She picked up his clothes and placed them on the chair next to the bed. Then she turned down the covers and waited for him to get in.

Wrapping the gown around his hips he made his way over to the bed. He sank back as he pulled his legs up and under the sheets. He didn't feel like admitting it, but the bed sure did feel good. His tired, aching body quickly relaxed into the nice soft mattress and he closed his eyes. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he thought.....

He was quickly brought out of his state of relaxation by something being forcefully jabbed into his left ear. "Ow! Shouldn't you buy me dinner first?"

"Shhh. Don't talk." She removed the thermometer and frowned at the reading. "100.2. Slightly elevated. I'll check again later."

"Great, can't wait," he mumbled as she grabbed his wrist to take his pulse. This seemed to bring satisfaction as there was no frown this time. Out of nowhere came a blood pressure cuff and soon he could feel the pressure on his bicep. Fortunately, just as it started to get unbearably uncomfortable she released the valve and the cuff deflated.

"120 over 80. Very good." Thank God something was going his way. "Okay, we'll just get you hooked up and then I'll see about getting you some food."

"That's the best offer I've gotten today."

She smiled at him while she pulled his gown back to attach the leads to his chest. When all four were on she turned on the machine and he immediately heard a nice steady beep confirming that he was still part of the world.

"Okay, Major, you can get some rest now. Dr. Beckett will be in momentarily and I'll go find you a snack." With that, he was alone in his curtained cubicle. He leaned back and closed his eyes, lulled almost to sleep by the steady, comforting beep of his own heart.

The quiet didn't last long however. Soon he heard voices and it became plainly obvious that his new roommate was no more pleased about the situation than he was. The curtain was suddenly pulled back and Sheppard stared into the face of Lt. Ford.

"Ford!" he exclaimed. "You got detention, too?"

"It looks that way, Sir. The doc wants to make sure I don't die in my sleep since I bumped my head. So it looks like we're roomies."

While this wasn't good news for Ford, it certainly cheered up Sheppard. At least he wasn't the only one being humiliated. "Come on in, roomie."

Dr. Beckett handed Ford his own gown, this time a green one, and pointed to the restroom. "You can change in there and then get into bed. I need to check on Major Sheppard."

Ford shook his head in disgust, but didn't say anything. He quietly turned on his heel and walked away.

"Hey, how come he didn't have to put on a show like I did?" he demanded.

"He's more co-operative than you, Major. You're as slippery as an eel and we're taking no chances," he said with a smile. "Now, let's see how everything looks, shall we?"

And he took out the damned penlight again. Sheppard restrained from the urge to punch him right at that moment. That would probably earn him a catheter and there was no way he was going to risk that.

He calmly submitted to all of the doctor's requests – deep breaths, breathe normally, follow my finger with your eyes. Again he held back a punch as Dr. Beckett poked and prodded his shoulder to check for pain from the stunner blast. Although better than before, it was still stiff and it hurt to move it around.

"Well, Major, you're looking better than before, that's fer bloody sure. I want to keep you on the monitor overnight and have another look at you in the morning. I'm a little concerned about the temp you're running, but everything else looks okay for now. Any questions?"

"What the hell did I do to piss you off so much?"

Dr. Beckett got very serious. "Major Sheppard. You are the most talented pilot we have. You have the gene to use all the Ancient technology. We cannot afford to lose you. You've been through too much just in the past few weeks. I need to make sure we will have you around for a long time. It's my duty not only to you, but to Atlantis as well."

Sheppard didn't say anything for a moment. "Understood. But, if everything looks fine in the morning I'm walking right out of here."

"Agreed, Major."

And at that moment Ford reappeard wearing his gown and he seemed to be blushing. In a case of déjà vu he asked the doctor, "What the hell did I do to piss you off so much?"

Sheppard and Beckett looked at each other and then began to laugh. "Major Sheppard will fill you in, son. I'll be back in the morning. Have a good night, don't let the bed bugs bite."

At that, Sheppard winced as he remembered a rather large bug that was recently almost permanently attached to his neck. Beckett immediately realized his mistake and turned red. "Sorry, Major," he mumbled and quickly left the room.

Ford pulled the covers back and got into the bed in the next cubicle over from Sheppard. He lay there quietly for a moment as he reflected on the long day. He turned toward the major and started to speak when he suddenly heard the sound of soft snoring. Major John Sheppard had finally given in to a well-deserved rest.

Sherry came over to check on her patients, carrying two trays of food. She took one look at Sheppard and immediately asked Ford how hungry he was. Once he realized that he hadn't eaten in almost 24 hours he gladly took both trays.

As Ford devoured his sandwiches, Sherry dimmed the lights and sat down at her desk in plain view of her patients. She wasn't going to let either of these two out of her sight.

TBC...(One more chapter to go.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Detention – Chapter 3**

_"You will be the first I feed upon." He heard it over and over as he ran through the halls of Atlantis._

_He kept looking over his shoulder and the wraith was always just behind him. He couldn't put any distance between them no matter how hard he ran._

_Reaching the gate room he looked around for someone to help him, but there was no one there. He tried to call out, but no sound came out of his mouth. He was so hot, the sweat was pouring off of him, drenching his clothes._

_He kept running, looking for a weapon. Anything to defend himself._

_"You don't hide your fear well at all, human. I will enjoy feeding on you," the wraith taunted him._

_His strength was slipping away. He couldn't keep running much longer. Every muscle in his body was on fire. It was getting harder to breathe and his heart was pumping at full speed._

_Finally, he collapsed on the floor. Staring up at the wraith he couldn't even summon the strength to say anything. With great effort, he took a deep breath and spit right in the wraith's face. Which, of course, only angered the wraith even more, but at least he felt he got something in._

_The wraith kneeled over his prize and a smile slowly stretched across its face. It stared at Sheppard as a cat does when it catches its prey and is ready for a little fun. Until the major's spit landed on his cheek._

_"Say goodbye, human!" the wraith growled loudly._

_Sheppard tensed as the wraith got within inches of his nose. He scrunched his face in disgust. How had he not noticed the putrid smell earlier? That alone was enough to kill someone._

_The wraith kneeled in front of the major on the floor. In one fluid move, his hand slashed the major's shirt exposing his flesh. With a satisfied smile, the wraith thrust his hand into the major's chest and began draining whatever life he had left in him._

_"AHHHHHH!" Sheppard screamed in agony. The pain was intense, like nothing he had ever felt in his life. He could literally feel himself dying, his life ebbing away....._

* * *

As the clock struck 03:30, Sherry stood and arched her back to stretch. She was used to pulling all-nighters, but the strain of sitting up did a job on her back. She glanced back at Sheppard and Ford who were both sleeping soundly. She decided she would take the time to actually use the restroom for the first time in hours. 

When she returned her ears picked up a faint sound that she couldn't place. It sounded like soft grunts. As she started to go back to check on her patients, the beep from Sheppard's heart monitor started to increase. Quickly. By the time she reached his bed his pulse had sky-rocketed to 150 beats per minute. His face was covered in sweat and he was grimacing in pain.

She immediately pushed the call button to alert Dr. Beckett. "What's the problem?" was his sleepy reply.

"Major Sheppard seems to be having some difficulty, Doctor. I think you should take a look," she said in a serious tone.

"I'll be right there." And he was since he was only sleeping in the next room.

"What do we have?" He asked quickly.

"I don't know. I took a bathroom break and when I got back I found him like this." She pulled a towel off the table beside the major's bed and began to wipe the sweat off his face. "Oh boy, he's burning up," she said as she placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

At that moment, Sheppard started moaning loudly. "Nnnnooooo. Nnnnnoooo. Stop. Stop...," he cried out. Beckett and Sherry looked at each other. "AHHHHHHHH!" The blood curdling yell spurred the medical team into action.

"Major Sheppard! Wake up! It's Dr. Beckett!"

The major's eyes flew open and he looked around wildly. His heart was beating so fast the monitor almost gave off a continuous hum. No matter how hard he tried to breathe he couldn't get any air in his lungs. For a few seconds he lay there panting trying to figure out where he was. Finally, he recognized Dr. Beckett and the infirmary and was able to start taking slow, deep breaths.

"Doc, why'd you wake me up?" he asked, trying to get his heartbeat under control.

"Are you all right, son? You seem to be in distress?" Beckett asked with concern.

Major Sheppard continued his deep breathing and soon his heart rate was near the normal range. Sherry wiped the sweat from his face once again as his color returned to normal. "Distress? No, no, no. I was dreaming, that's all. She was beautiful, you know what I mean?" he asked playfully, hoping that they would buy his ridiculous story and leave him alone.

It was clear that neither one of them believed him, but Dr. Beckett seemed to be carefully considering his next move. He gave the major the benefit of the doubt that it was just a nightmare and not some kind of episode with his heart. The rhythm was fine now – nice and steady and strong. He picked up the thermometer and stuck it in Sheppard's ear.

"Ow! What, do you work as a tag team?"

But Beckett wasn't listening. After a second he removed the instrument from the major's ear and was pleased to see that the reading had dropped to 98.9. He shook his head in approval. "It looks like your fever's broken." He put his stethoscope on and listened to Sheppard's heart and lungs. His lungs were clear and his heartbeat steady.

"Okay, Major. Obviously it was just a bad dream. You seem stable now. I'm going to give you a sedative to help you get back to sleep."

"Yeah, I'd like to get back to my date if you don't mind. The triplets are waiting for me."

Beckett smiled and replied, "You got it, Major." He then walked toward a supply cabinet to retrieve a syringe and the drug that would let Sheppard get some peaceful rest finally.

Sheppard collapsed back into his pillows and began his deep breathing once again. Although he hoped he had put on a brave show for everyone, he felt anything but. This was a new nightmare. Possibly even a night terror. He thought the tick was bad. That was like a day at the beach comparatively speaking.

Ford quietly watched the proceedings from his own bed. He'd been in combat before. He knew what had happened to the major. Sheppard's pale complexion and drawn face confirmed his suspicions.

"It's alright, sir. You're safe," Ford said as he tried to reassure his commanding officer. He had seen similar things happen on the battlefield.

"Thanks, Ford. I'm okay," he replied quietly. He knew Ford understood.

When Dr. Beckett returned with the sedative, Sheppard didn't even make a remark or put up a fight. This did not go unnoticed by Dr. Beckett, but Sheppard didn't care. He was looking forward to a nice quiet oblivion where no one was trying to kill him.

"Just a quick pinch, and you're on your way to a good sleep."

Sheppard winced as he felt the needle in his arm. He pulled the covers up, and closed his eyes. "Thanks, Doc," he said gratefully.

Sherry returned with a cup of water and helped Sheppard sit up to drink it. At this point he had no strength left at all and didn't fight the help. The cold water felt wonderful going down his aching, parched throat. He sank back and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

* * *

The next morning he awoke to find Lt. Ford, Elizabeth Weir, Teyla and Rodney McKay standing at the foot of his bed. Ford was fully dressed so he'd obviously been released already. They all seemed to be arguing about something and hadn't noticed that he was awake. 

"....but I had pins and needles and no one felt the need to keep an eye on me!" he heard McKay whine. "No one appreciates the sacrifice I made to complete the mission! I could barely feel my extremities. Even now!"

"Rodney, now is not the time," Weir replied in a tired voice. This was obviously a discussion that had been repeated a lot recently.

"Dr. McKay, we are here to see how Major Sheppard is. Perhaps you can discuss your concerns with Dr. Beckett privately," Teyla said in a clipped tone.

Sheppard closed his eyes trying to imagine what it would have been like to have McKay as a roommate the previous night. Or any night for that matter. The thought alone was enough to send shivers down his spine. Who could rest with that man around? Finally he opened his eyes, and they all became quiet.

"How are you feeling, John?" Dr. Weir asked.

How was he feeling? Everything, including his hair, hurt. His head felt like there was a hammer chipping away at his brain. But, compared to yesterday, he was actually much better. "Oh, nothing like a hangover to start your morning," he replied sarcastically.

"Well, you're in luck. It's already the afternoon so you're halfway on the road to recovery," she replied with a smile.

"What time is it?" he asked as he clasped his hands and put them over his head, letting out a huge yawn, and stretching his entire body.

Ford replied quickly, "It's just after 4 in the afternoon. You've had quite the nap, sir. You got the good stuff, they wouldn't let me have any."

"Oh, the benefits of rank, Lieutenant." He sat up suddenly as a sort of test. Which he seemed to pass with flying colors since the room didn't spin, he didn't vomit on anyone or anything, nor did he unceremoniously fall off the bed. "Where are my clothes? I'm getting out of here." He paused and looked determinately at his team members. "Now."

At that moment, Dr. Beckett came in. "Good afternoon, Major. How are we feeling?" he asked.

"I notice no one asked how I'm feeling!" McKay interjected sarcastically. Everyone turned to look at him with disgust. No one replied to his outburst.

Beckett just shot McKay a glance that shut him up immediately. He then turned to listen to his patient's reply.

"I don't know about you, Doc, but I feel fine. I kept my promise to stay overnight, I even threw in a morning and an afternoon for free, and now if you'll excuse me I have things to do."

"Fair's fair, Major. I'll have Sherry bring your clothes. I removed all the leads earlier so you're free to move around. I'll be studying the printouts from your monitor over the next day or so, but so far it seems that there is no additional damage to your heart right now. You can go."

A big smile spread over Sheppard's face.

And it quickly disappeared as Beckett continued, "But I have arranged with Dr. Weir to have you monitored overnight once every three months until we are certain that you've sustained no permanent damage. If you refuse, you will not be allowed any gate-travel." 

Sheppard knew this was neither the time nor the place to argue. "Well, three months is a long way off. Let's cross that bridge later. Now, my clothes?" he asked in a demanding tone.

As if by magic Sherry came around the corner with his clothes in one arm and a tray of food in the other. "Here we go," she said as she placed his clothes in his lap and the food on the table next to the bed.

"Does everyone get a show this time or can I get some privacy?" he asked politely, but firmly, indicating what he wanted.

Dr. Weir couldn't help it as a deep blush raced up her face. "Of course, Major. We'll wait for you outside." She, Ford, Teyla and McKay moved toward the exit.

"Shame, would have liked to have seen an encore," muttered Sherry under her breath as she went back to her desk. Dr. Beckett said nothing, he simply pulled the privacy curtain around the major's bed.

As Sheppard dressed he realized that he shouldn't be too upset. They were all worried about his well-being. But, now was not the time for him to be sick or vulnerable. He simply wouldn't allow it. Not when he had that Wraith prisoner to contend with.

When he was done dressing he did one more big stretch and took a deep breath. He was very glad to be heading back to his own quarters. He pulled his boots on, put on his jacket and turned to leave.

Dr. Beckett watched him as he walked toward the door and quietly said, "You're going to be okay, Major. I'll make sure of that."

Without looking back he replied, "I know, Doc. Thanks."

--End--

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A/N: Thanks to everyone who wrote a review!


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